Sans teach yourself twitter 10 minutes

free ebooks ==>
www.ebook777.com

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

Tee Morris

Sams Teach Yourself

Twitter
in 10 Minutes

800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes
Copyright © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is
assumed with respect to the use of the information contained
herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability
assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein.
ISBN-13: 978-0-672-33124-4
ISBN-10: 0-672-33124-1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file.

Printed in the United States of America
Second printing January 2010

Trademarks
All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized.
Que Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as
affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Warning and Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to make this book as complete
and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is
implied. The information provided is on an “as is” basis. The
author and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book.

Bulk Sales
Que Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when
ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For
more information, please contact
U.S. Corporate and Government Sales
1-800-382-3419

For sales outside of the U.S., please contact
International Sales


www.ebook777.com

Associate
Publisher
Greg Wiegand

Acquisitions
Editor
Michelle
Newcomb
Development
Editor
Kevin Howard
Managing
Editor
Patrick Kanouse
Project Editor
Seth Kerney
Copy Editor
Apostrophe
Editing Services
Indexer
Ken Johnson
Proofreader
Williams Woods
Publishing
Services
Technical Editor
Philippa
Ballantine
Publishing
Coordinator
Cindy Teeters
Designer
Anne Jones
Compositor

Bronkella
Publishing LLC


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

Contents
Introduction

1

Who Is Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes For? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What This Book Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
What You Need to Use This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
What to Expect from Here

........................................................3

Beyond Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1 Introducing Twitter

7

Viewing a Twitter Homepage

....................................................8

Setting Up a Twitter Account

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

What Twitter Is Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2 Completing Your Profile

17

Your Display Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Additional Profile Information

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

The Importance of a Good Avatar

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Customizing Twitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Building the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3 Communicating with Others on Twitter
Composing a “Tweet”

35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Exchanging URLs in Tweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Posting Your Tweet

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Replying to a Tweet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Replying to a Direct Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Your Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
iv

Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes

4 Tracking Trends and Traffic on Twitter

45

Tracking Trends on Twitter.com

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Tracking Topics Using Hashtags

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Using Twitter Search

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Tracking Your Twitter Habits with TweetStats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Tracking Your Traffic Using Bit.ly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

5 Incorporating Media with Twitter

59

TwitPic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Mobypicture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Using YouTube with Twitter

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Video + Twitter = 12seconds.tv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Power Twitter for Firefox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

6 Using Third-Party Applications: Twhirl
Downloading and Installing Twhirl

75

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Configuring Twhirl

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Tweeting on Twhirl

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Using Twhirl to Shorten URLs

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Using Twhirl to Share TwitPics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Using Twhirl to Perform Twitter Searches

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

7 Using Third-Party Applications: TweetDeck

87

Installation and Initial Setup of TweetDeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Setting Up Groups in TweetDeck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Tweeting from TweetDeck

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Using TweetDeck to Shorten URLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Using TwitPic with TweetDeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Using 12seconds.tv with TweetDeck

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Performing a Twitter Search with TweetDeck

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

www.ebook777.com

free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Contents

v

8 Using Twitter on the Android G1
TwitterRide for the G1

105

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Setting Up TwitterRide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

9 Using Twitter on the BlackBerry
TwitterBerry for the BlackBerry

115

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

10 Using Twitter on the iPhone
Twittelator Pro for the iPhone

123

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

11 Building and Rating Your Twitter Network

135

Working with Twitter.com to Build Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Using Twitter Search to Build Your Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Using Mr. Tweet to Build Your Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Working with Twitalyzer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Why Automated Services Are a Bad Idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

12 Twitter Twoubleshooting

153

Support from Twitter.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Blogs and Podcasts Concerning Twitter

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Bird House Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

13 The Latest Tweaks to Twitter
Notifications

165

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Response Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Verified Accounts

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Retweeting Reimagined

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Index

176


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

About the Author
Tee Morris has been an active member of the Twitter community since
2007 and part of the Social Media movement even longer. He established
himself as a pioneer of podcasting by being the first to podcast a novel in
its entirety. His fantasy epic, MOREVI, was a finalist for the 2006 Parsec
Award for Best Podcast Novel. That production led to the founding of
Podiobooks.com, the writing of Podcasting for Dummies (with Chuck
Tomasi and Evo Terra), and the writing of Expert Podcasting Practices
for Dummies (with Evo Terra and Ryan Williams). In 2009, he released
his third Social Media-related title, All a Twitter, from Que Publishing.
Tee has spoken across the country and around the world on Social Media
for Book Expo America, Blogworld, CREATE South, Te Papa Tongarewa,

and LIANZA. He is also the Social Media Manager for Intersections in
Chantilly, Virginia.
Along with being a Social Media specialist, Tee is a columnist and critic
for AppAdvice.com and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy found in print
at Dragon Moon Press and in audio at TeeMorris.com. His fantasy-detective novel, The Case of The Singing Sword: A Billibub Baddings Mystery,
received an Honorable Mention for ForeWord Magazine’s 2004 Book of
the Year award, was a Finalist for the 2005 Independent Publisher’s Best
Science Fiction and Fantasy, and won Best Audio Drama: Long Form at
the 2008 Parsec Awards.
Find out more about Tee Morris at imaginethatstudios.com and
teemorris.com on the Internet.

Photo by Kreg Steppe
(@steppek) of spyndle.com

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

Dedication
To those of you curious about Twitter, this book is your guide into getting
in quick and discovering what the word on the Tweet is all about. Tweet
unto others as you would have them tweet unto you, and have fun.

Acknowledgments
When I wrote All a Twitter earlier this year, I started off with “What. A.
Ride.” because I thought the ride had hit its stride, and I was closing in on
the finish line….
Then I got a phone call asking me how quickly I could turn around this

book. Good thing I was that kid who loved getting back in line for the
roller coaster once I got out of the exit.
Unlike All a Twitter that is more commentary about Twitter, far-reaching
in its scope and application, and involving more of the people who comprise the network, Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes is the barebones, fast-and-furious, breakneck crash course on Twitter. No case studies, no opinions and editorials, no personal anecdotes. Just the facts,
ma’am. I have you for 10 minutes in each chapter, so I make it count.
I do need to thank my Google phone Goddess Annette Holland
(@daNanner) and my BlackBerry banditos Matt Wilkins (@mattwilkins)
and Denise Gideon (@bluearyn1) for their assistance with Twitter on platforms alien to me. I reached out and they offered their support. Not that
their participation comes as a surprise to me. In fact, it’s more of a testament to the power of a community and the potential Twitter has for everyone who uses it. At Twitter’s core are people, and I consider myself most
fortunate to be part of such a supportive community.
Welcome to Twitter.


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

We Want to Hear from You!
As the reader of this book, you are our most important critic and commentator. We value your opinion and want to know what we’re doing right,
what we could do better, what areas you’d like to see us publish in, and
any other words of wisdom you’re willing to pass our way.
As an associate publisher for Sams Publishing, I welcome your comments. You can email or write me directly to let me know what you did
or didn’t like about this book—and what we can do to make our books
better.
Please note that I cannot help you with technical problems related to the
topic of this book. We do have a User Services group, however, where I
will forward specific technical questions related to the book.
When you write, please be sure to include this book’s title and author and
your name, email address, and phone number. I will carefully review your
comments and share them with the author and editors who worked on the
book.
Email:

Mail:

Greg Wiegand
Associate Publisher
Sams Publishing
800 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46240 USA

Reader Services
Visit our website and register this book at www.informit.com/title/
9780672331244 for convenient access to any updates, downloads, or errata that might be available for this book.

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

Introduction
Welcome to Twitter, the Social Networking site that was called “utterly
devoid of any sort of merit” by New Zealand Herald’s Canvas Magazine,
(June 6, 2009) in the same week it appeared on the cover of TIME
Magazine as “a powerful form of communication” and “the future of
American innovation.” This lynchpin of the Social Media movement is
loved by many, scrutinized by others; but in a nutshell, Twitter is a combination of instant messengers’ immediacy, blogging’s swiftness and spontaneity in reaching many with a message, and VoIP’s capability to share
and exchange media, and it does all this with a caveat that you must do
this in 140 characters or less. This built-in limitation is your safeguard
from Twitter becoming a timesink and a distraction. All these things have

contributed to its incredible popularity and continue to make it all the talk
both online and out in the real world.
This book explores what’s out there, how to make it work, and gets you
up and “tweeting” in record time.

Who Is Sams Teach Yourself
Twitter in 10 Minutes For?
This intensive Twitter tutorial is designed for every level of user. Sams
Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes is geared for
. People who are starting from the beginning with Twitter
. Users who want to work beyond the Twitter.com homepage
. Users who want to incorporate images, audio, and video with

their tweets
. Users who want to use Twitter with their smartphone
. Users experienced and new who are looking to build their net-

works


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
2

Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes

What This Book Covers
Twitter, in its amazing climb in notoriety, is more than the sum of its
parts; and its first impression which, even TIME admits, isn’t the best one.
This book intends to take you into the wonderful world of Twitterspeak
while, at the same time, give you a complete and in-depth overview

(albeit, in 10 minute chunks) of what you can do.
Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes begins with setting up an
account. Although this might seem self-explanatory, many of the basic
mistakes with Twitter start here. From viewing the Twitter homepages of
others to making sure your profile is complete, you are given tricks and
tips that can help you make the best of first impressions.
From establishing your Twitter account, you are then introduced to the art
of tweeting. (Yes, we really do call it tweeting when you post an update or
talk from one user to another.) We start with the most basic of tweets—
composing a tweet and turning on your internal editor to stay under the
140-character limits—and build on these skills to incorporate URLs. We
also go into various ways you can track trends and traffic using hashtags,
URL shorteners, and a variety of search engines. We then go into sharing
media, such as still images, audio, and video, through a variety of online
utilities geared to extend Twitter’s capabilities.
Next, Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes takes users away from
their Twitter.com homepage and looks at third-party applications. The
desktop clients featured are best for accounts managing small and large
networks, and their basic steps of installation and operation can easily be
adapted to other desktop clients, both currently available and yet-to-come.
Then we take Twitter on the go, featuring applications for the G1,
BlackBerry, and iPhone. These applications bring all the features you are
introduced to in previous chapters to your smartphones, bringing the
Twitter experience anywhere you are.
Finally, we take a closer look at building and cultivating a network using
everything from previously discussed Search engines to online services
designed to evaluate, organize, and encourage growth in your followers.
Keep in mind—this title is composed of tutorials, so there is little in the
way of case study, advice, and commentary on “what makes a network

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Introduction

strong.” For tutorials and tips of a more theoretical and practical nature,
check out my other title, All a Twitter, from Que Publishing, featuring
chapters like “Going Pro with Twitter,” “ANTI-Social Media,” and “Why I
Twitter.”

What You Need to Use This Book
Apart from a computer, whether it’s a desktop or laptop model, with an
Internet connection or a smartphone with a data connection, all that you
actually need for this book is a genuine curiosity concerning Twitter. If
you are not even slightly curious as to how this works, what you can do
with it, and why you need to figure it out, this trip into the Twitterverse
might be a rough one. Curiosity is one of the driving forces of Twitter.
After all, it got developers thinking, “If I can send messages like this, I
wonder if…” and from there we now have online services such as 12seconds.tv, TwitPic, and MobyPicture.
Along with curiosity, you also need time. Obviously, I have 10-minute
blocks to teach you something, sure; but the time I refer to is the time to
build a network and establish your community. Contrary to popular belief
of self-proclaimed Social Media gurus, oracles, mavens, and experts,
communities do not build themselves overnight with automated services.
Real communities are based on communication, participation, and relationships, and these kinds of communities take time to cultivate. Sams
Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes can give you the tools on how to do
that. That, I can teach you in 10 minutes. However, you can’t build a community in 10 minutes. Your network requires time. Not a large amount of
time, but time and attention to achieve its potential.

What to Expect from Here
Throughout the book you find a few callouts that serve as convenient tips
and must-know tricks to make the most of your Twitter experience.

3


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes

4

Notes
These bits of advice range from interesting background trivia to truly
cool options you might miss in desktop clients and mobile applications if you blink at the wrong time. These are the Easter Eggs of
Twitter that you need to know.

Warnings
Throughout Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes, Warnings are
the pitfalls and networking faux pas many new users (and even
some experienced ones) make while tweeting. Tempting as it is to
simply jump in and figure things out as you go, the Warnings are
there to make sure common mistakes are avoided, protocols are
protected, and etiquette (or Twittiquette) is upheld.

Beyond Sams Teach Yourself
Twitter in 10 Minutes
Keeping books on anything involving your computer up-to-date has
evolved from a tricky task to a Herculean task to “just frakking insane.”
Between signing off All a Twitter and writing Sams Teach Yourself Twitter

in 10 Minutes, here’s what happened just within a month:
. Several upgrades for TweetDeck, Twittelator Pro, and other pop-

ular applications. (And in a word, WOW! Many of the updates
are covered in this book.)
. Twitter’s deal with Vodophone to offer to its New Zealand cus-

tomers full, two-way SMS. (And the kiwis got it before
Australia!)
. The Twitpocalypse (which wound up to be a lot of hype…)
. Several redesigns at Twitter.com. (I love the new look of the

Followers and Following pages.)
. The aforementioned TIME Magazine cover story. (Congrats

@biz, @ev, and @twitter!)

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Introduction

. The Iranian election protest (resulting in green avatars every-

where)
And, no doubt, a lot of things can happen between now and the time this
book reaches you. So how do I compete with the books that are about to
hit the shelves or compare to the books currently on the shelves?
Simple answer: I don’t stop. The book might conclude at the closing of its

cover, but the lessons, assistance, and insight continues online through a
variety of outlets.

Social Media Specialist on Call (via
Twitter)
Of course, you can find me on Twitter, and of course, I would be more
than happy to answer your questions concerning Twitter. If you find yourself stuck or curious as to what to try next, go on and drop me a tweet at
@ITStudios (for Imagine That! Studios), and I will reply when the tweet
arrives. Feel free to also share with me feedback, both the congratulatory
and the critical, on Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes. Twitter is
all about reaching out and connecting, and I’m out there if you have a
question for me. (And when you do tweet me concerning this title, use the
hashtag #twitterin10. Hashtags. in Chapter 4. Check them out!)

Imagine That! Studios
Imagine That! Studios () is my online home
in which I discuss creative solutions in the workplace. Through Social
Media, audio and video production, and clever thinking, solutions are discovered. That’s my mantra there. If you are looking for additional
resources or commentary concerning Social Media, you might find what
you need at Imagine That! Studios. Come on by, take a look around, and
enjoy what my blog has to offer.

5


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
6

Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes

Bird House Rules
Finally, there is the official blog and podcast of All a Twitter and Sams
Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes, found at . This
10-minute podcast picks up where the book leaves off, keeping the content you find here current and up-to-date. The podcast is a handy audio
addendum to this book and your chance to put a voice with the tweets; the
RSS feed also features interviews and audio and video clips from interviews concerning the book and Twitter. The blog offers commentary,
guest postings, and topics generated by you, the new and experienced
Twitter user. Have a listen and a read, or subscribe through iTunes or your
RSS reader of choice.

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

LESSON 1

Introducing Twitter
Twitter first went online in 2006 and in the three years has become the
essential tool to introduce Social Media in business. For the casual user,
Twitter is also an essential tool as it bridges the gap between blogging and
instant messaging. Regardless if the reason behind your interest is for personal or professional application, Twitter’s popularity can be attributed
back to its initial ease of use.
When you get past Twitter’s initial learning curve of communication,
there is more. Much more. Sure, you can learn the basics in 10 minutes
(just as the title promises), but why stop there? On the surface, Twitter
appears to be nothing more than a variation on Facebook’s Status Update
feature. The potential and power of Twitter, as well as how it is different
from Facebook, comes from how you build your network and then engage
your community with what you are doing at that particular moment. What

might seem to be “just another day” to you is your network’s sneak peek
into your creative process or what you are accomplishing. Whether it is
“working out a tricky plot snag between two characters” or “sitting down
with the CEO on outlook for 2009,” this is an inside perspective that interests your followers.
If you have never hosted a blog, Twitter is a fantastic primer in doing so.
Sometimes referred to as microblogging, Twitter is the sharing of your
thoughts or actions at that particular moment, much like a blog post. One
difference from blogs is that your thoughts appear as a posting at
. A major difference between true blogs and Twitter,
though, is that in Twitter your thoughts must be composed within 140
characters (including spaces) or less. This limitation makes you pare down
your posting (or tweet) to the basics. When you send out a tweet, those in
your network (your Followers, which are listed by their avatars in a grid
on the main page of your Twitter account) see it. That is Twitter: your personal quick response network.


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
LESSON 1: Introducing Twitter

8

FIGURE 1.1

Twitter takes your thoughts in brief 140-character-sized blog
posts and distributes them across your own network.

Viewing a Twitter Homepage
Even without being registered on Twitter, you can view individual Twitter
streams. These are previous tweets made by whomever you review
through your browser. What you need to know is the user’s (or Twitter as I

refer to them. You might hear others call users Tweeters, as well) name on
the network.
1. Go to on your Internet browser. This takes you

to the Sign In/Join Twitter homepage.
We return to this in a later exercise. For now, focus your attention to the URL field in your browser.
2. Just after in your browser’s URL field, enter in

a username. Examples of a username can include
ITStudios
TeeMonster

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Viewing a Twitter Homepage

Enter in a username of a Twitter you would like to review. After
the URL looks like press Enter on
your keyboard.
3. Your browser is now directed to the user’s Twitter homepage.

You can now scroll along his or her timeline of tweets, beginning with the most recent and continuing farther back.
NOTE
When viewing people’s timeline, take a look at how they participate
on Twitter. How do they engage their network? Do they use Twitter as
a microblog? Do they reply to members of their network? Do they
share and circulate various online resources? Or are they doing all
the above? Reviewing a user’s timeline provides valuable insight into

the character of that Twitter and how he or she regards their network.
4. To view more in a user’s timeline, simply scroll to the bottom of

the tweets and single-click the More button. This loads up more
tweets into the browser window.
This is actually all there is to reviewing a user’s timeline. Without an
account, the communication is a one-way street with you merely on the
receiving end of the Twitter feed. Go on and surf to other users’ homepages. Take a look at how these people use Twitter.
NOTE
Direct Messages are more personal exchanges between you and
another Twitter user following you. We cover them later in Lesson 3,
“Communicating with Others on Twitter,” but note that your Direct
Messages (or DMs) never appear in the public timeline. These are
tweets for your eyes and the eyes of the sender/recipient only.

When you have an idea of how people tweet between one another, consider your message and what you would like to say because we are now
about to create a Twitter account.

9


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
LESSON 1: Introducing Twitter

10

Setting Up a Twitter Account
What I define here as “setting up an account” is simply signing up. This is
when most new users make their first mistake: They set up the account
and they consider themselves “done” when this is merely the first step. To

those who immediately tweet after this step I applaud your zeal and vigor
for wanting to engage right away; but before you start building your network, stop for a moment and consider the details of your account.
To attract followers and effectively build a network, you need to go deeper into establishing a presence on Twitter. In Lesson 2, “Completing Your
Profile,” we complete an online profile, create an avatar for our account,
and then seek out other Twitters that share common interests.
Let’s begin with the basics to register on Twitter.
1. Go to on your Internet browser.
2. To the right of the search button is a button reading “Sign Up

Now.” Single-click that button.
3. In the field marked Full Name, type in your full name or your

business’ name, or both.
NOTE
Honesty is the best policy when building your profile, so don’t be shy
or elusive here. A real or company name can better help you in
establishing an identity on Twitter. You can, at any time under
Settings, change your full name to something different, be it to one
for personal or professional use.
4. Set up a User Name, no longer than 15 characters (Twitter’s

built-in limit). This can be your nickname, a clever wordplay, or
your organization’s name or acronym.

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
Setting Up a Twitter Account

WARNING
When creating usernames, keep your monikers simple. When people
reply to your tweets, your name counts as characters used. You can
use underscores in lieu of spaces, but again consider how easy it is
to type your Twitter ID. Additionally, avoid using numbers and a random mix of uppercase letters in your usernames because these
traits can alert Twitter’s security measures. Many spammers use
auto-generated names such as Darrin1234 and InDig0gRRls, for
example. Be clever, sure; but keep it easy.
5. Create your password.

Along with letting you know if a full name is “too big” or a username is available, Twitter also evaluates your password, rating it
between strong or weak. Strong passwords usually are a mix of
uppercase and lowercase letters with numbers used in place of
certain alphabetical characters. When you come up with a password, make it something easy to remember but not easy for others to figure out.

FIGURE 1.2

Your Twitter account begins with the basics: who you are,
where Twitter can contact you, and what is your password.

11


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
12

LESSON 1: Introducing Twitter

6. If you want to be notified of new followers and when people

send you direct messages, check the box for email updates.
7. In the final field, type the verification code provided by Twitter.

If you cannot read the code, you can refresh the verification by
single-clicking on the Get Two New Words option or hear an
audio version of the verification code by single-clicking on the
Listen to the Words link, both located to the right of the field.
8. Single-click Create My Account to finish registration.
9. Following the creation of your Twitter account, Twitter offers

you the option to check email directories for any friends you
think might be on Twitter. If you choose any of these featured
services, have your own user details for your mail accounts
ready to enter. Single-click “Skip This Step” if you wish to
progress to the next screen.
10. In this option, Twitter selects at random a variety of Twitter

users you can start following straight away. This cross-section of
Twitters can include celebrities, organizations, frequent Twitters,
or Twitter accounts often referenced or retweeted by others. If
you decide to follow any of these Twitter accounts, click on the
check boxes located to the left of their accounts, and then singleclick on Finish at the bottom of the interface. If you do not want
to follow any of these suggested accounts, single-click on Skip
This Step.
Congratulations! If your browser looks like Figure 1.3, you are now registered with Twitter and can start tweeting straight away.
This is everyone’s starting point on Twitter. With these simple details set,
you can now begin building your own network of followers, let them
know what your are doing in that moment, and even provide exact coordinates as to where you are tweeting from, and vice versa.

www.ebook777.com

free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
What Twitter Is Not

FIGURE 1.3

New Twitter accounts display a default avatar against Twitter’s
default background, a username, and tips on building a network.

Tempting as it is to simply say, “Let’s start tweeting…”, now would be a
good time to remind you what I said earlier: many of the mistakes and
misconceptions of Twitter happen here. Before we even go into the completion of your profile, we should take a moment to go into exactly what
Twitter is not. With its recent explosion of popularity, many jump into
Twitter with preconceived notions and either walk away disappointed or
participate disillusioned.
Let’s take a few moments to look at Twitter with a more critical eye.

What Twitter Is Not
Twitter, I believe, is the Swiss Army Knife of Social Media, considering
all its capabilities and possibilities; but where Twitter fails is when new
users believe it is something that it is not.

13


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
14

LESSON 1: Introducing Twitter

Twitter Is Not a Chat Application
Some are confused and upset when they discover that Twitter is not an
Instant Messenger (or IM) or try to use it as an IM application with one
wicked delay!
In some ways Twitter does resemble an application like Skype, AOL
Instant Messenger (AIM), iChat, or the various chat add-ons you might
find in MySpace or Facebook, but it was never meant to be a chat application. Replies in a chat application are usually private and kept between
one person or a group of invited individuals. Your tweet exchange on
Twitter is automatically shared across a network. In other words, this is
not a private conversation you are having. Everyone is invited. You can
use DMs to have private conversations, but this is another reason why
Twitter shouldn’t be considered a true chat application or used as such:
There is usually a long delay before you get an answer.
The most obvious reason Twitter fails as an IM application is its strongest
feature: the 140-character limitation. This safeguard is there to keep your
communication to the basics. If you cannot keep a single statement within
one (or two) tweets, it’s time to move the talk to Skype, iChat, or
Facebook Chat.

Twitter Is Not a Blog
Although I do consider Twitter as “a test drive for potential bloggers,”
Twitter is not a blog. True, Twitter does use RSS feeds to enable your
tweets for the day to appear as a blogpost. True, Twitter asks you what
you are doing at that very moment. True, people follow you much in the
same way that people subscribe to your blog.
Twitter can do all this, just like a blog—but it’s not a blog.
Blogs usually follow a theme or (if they are of a more personal nature) a
variety of subjects. Twitter covers everything including the kitchen sink
and depending on the person tweeting, things you would never want to do

in, on, or anywhere near the kitchen sink! Following a single topic in
Twitter can be a bit challenging. It’s possible but limited to how much you
can say about the topic at hand. Additionally, you can reply and comment
on a topic in Twitter; but if a week later, you want to return to that original tweet, you would find that a challenge because you would need to

www.ebook777.com


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
What Twitter Is Not

15

weed through a week’s worth of tweets before finding it. Then you would
have to bring others in your network up to speed on exactly what you are
talking about. With blogs, you have posts categorized and organized, and
always with a reference point that its comments continuously reference.

FIGURE 1.4

Blogposts like this one, although Twitter can provide links to
them, would be impossible (or downright annoying) to display through a
series of tweets.

Also, blogposts can be 140 words or, if the blogger is particularly passionate, 1,400 words. Blogposts can also feature images, audio, and video
whereas Twitter provides only reference links. Twitter might behave like a
blog in many ways, but is far from it. You can use Twitter as a blog (and
many users choose to do so), and this is how it serves as a nice primer for
blogging. If you find Twitter a lot of fun, check out WordPress
() or a similar blog host. Within minutes you can

have a true weblog up and running, and with a few clicks you can even
have a plug-in that automatically tweets for you when your latest blogpost
goes live.


free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
LESSON 1: Introducing Twitter

16

Twitter Is Not Like Facebook, MySpace, or
Other Social Networks
“I really don’t have the time for Twitter.”
This is probably the biggest excuse I hear from people on why they are not
giving Twitter a shot. Where is this coming from? Could it be the hours of
productivity lost on MySpace and Facebook weeding through the variety
of legitimate and illegitimate Friend Requests and ignoring “Li’l Green
Patches,” “Pillow Fights,” and “Mob Wars”? Or how about, in Ning
Communities, there are discussions you jump into; and an hour later you
are still working on those discussion posts? Whether it is approving others
to join your Flickr feed (and trying to figure out if they are Friends,
Friends & Family, or simply a “Contact”) or if you find yourself drawn
into a thread appearing on a forum you just joined, the perceived investment of time into Twitter seems to be a major barrier for others to clear.
Twitter took that into account, and it keeps it simple. You have only three
options when you are notified that someone is following you on Twitter:
. Follow
. Not Follow
. Block

Twitter is the definition of low maintenance. Perhaps, if you want to delete

previous tweets or drop followers, the Twitter.com interface does not lend
itself to user-friendly actions. You cannot Select All of previous tweets and
press a Delete key, and you cannot easily search out Twitter users in your
network. However, building your network takes only a few minutes. How
deep your involvement with your Twitter network falls back on you and
the parameters you set. Twitter becomes high maintenance only if you
allow it to be.
So, are you all set up and ready to tweet? Well, not quite. Although you can
begin building up your network, connecting with others, and embracing this
hot new Social Networking initiative, let’s stop a moment and consider
those two words: Social Networking. It’s all about the first impression, isn’t
it? When making contacts and creating a network—even the virtual ones—
it is imperative to put your best foot forward.
This is what we do with a completed Twitter profile.

www.ebook777.com